


crush u

by zeloflake



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-24
Updated: 2017-11-24
Packaged: 2019-02-01 08:51:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12701499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zeloflake/pseuds/zeloflake
Summary: Jongdae is in a relationship with Junmyeon and they fit - they have for the whole time EXO has existed. Minseok, who really likes Jongdae but can't bring himself to say so, kisses Baekhyun instead. Who kisses him back.





	crush u

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you like it!! i couldn't resist some pining! xiubaek after cbx became a thing ~

Baekhyun, Jongdae and Minseok had been inseparable for the longest time. The announcement of the subunit hadn't been a surprise to anyone - they only needed SM's permission to make it happen. And it was a dream come true, the three of them performing to their own songs. Just like EXO, but a bit more personal.

Personal enough that certain things were bound to come to surface.

You see, relationships are complicated. They are fluid and changeable, adapting every moment to follow the next. And the line between friendship and love is something so thin, so easily breakable, that people usually mistake one for the other.

That was the case for Minseok. Jongdae had always been nice - the nicest person he'd ever known. And that kindness always inspired the boy, but he'd never really given much thought to it. Now that they were 3, however, it was easier to notice the little details. Some things - like the way Jongdae's neck glistened with sweat after a performance and how he bowed to every single member of the staff before leaving - were easier to realize. And that was a big problem.

That is, because ever since EXO had come into existence, Jongdae and Junmyeon had been together.

Of course it was a secret to the public; only the members and the managers were aware, and a few of their closest friends. But it was undeniable that they were a perfect fit, both too nice for their own good, one a little louder, the other with problems establishing authority. They made sense, bringing out the best on each other time after time.

And while this relationship made the members uneasy at first (after all, what would they do if there was a breakup? No one wanted to deal with the discomfort and awkwardness that would come afterwards), it became clear through time that it was right. Their fights were few, and they always managed to keep it professional, not letting their issues affect the performances. The only time they acted as if they were dating - besides a few stolen glances and hands that held each other for a moment too long - was in the privacy of the dormitory.

So Minseok was pretty much fucked. He had developed a crush on one of his best friends, knowing fully well it could never go anywhere. And yet, he enjoyed as much as he could the time they spent together, away from the others. Baekhyun being there wasn't really a problem - they got along perfectly, and he felt less self-conscious that way. The only thing he couldn't shake was the uneasy feeling that lay in his chest when he saw Jongdae sending a specially sweet message to his boyfriend, still asleep at home.

He wasn't in love or anything. He wasn't even jealous (okay, maybe a little). It was more like the disappointment of an infatuation that would never be acted upon. Fruitless wanting.

Maybe that was why, after their first win, when they arrived to a dormitory full of overexcited members, cake and soju, Minseok found himself drinking a little more than usual. As the hyung, he never really did let his guard down - his priority was to take care of the members. But today, they were at home (or the closest they could get to one while promoting an album), everybody was celebrating and he was flustered. So he toasted to their victory, and drank well onto the night.

 

***

 

It was sometime after 2 am when the first members began to fall asleep in random places. The maknaes curled together on the couch, while Junmyeon and Jongdae watched some rerun of a comedy tv show, not really paying attention to it but to each other. Lay was in China, so he hadn't been a part of the celebration, and Chanyeol and Kyungsoo were the only ones still drinking. Minseok was sitting in the balcony, trying to gather his thoughts in somewhat coherent sentences, when Baekhyun sat next to him.

He knew the younger boy was quite a lightweight, so it was no surprise when his head rested on Minseok's shoulder and he began to speak with a sluggish, whiny tone.

"Hyung, how come the stars are so pretty tonight? I must be dreaming. They don't shine so bright here in Seoul."

"That's because they're streetlights, Baek." While he was definitely more tipsy than usual, Minseok knew he was nowhere as drunk as Baekhyun. The boy would probably fall asleep any minute now.

"Oh. That makes a lot of sense. You're so smart, Umin-hyung." Now he rubbed his head on Minseok's shoulder, as if asking to be petted. The older boy complied, a soft smile in his face. The fucker could be really cute when he wasn't annoying the life out of everyone. "And pretty. I know I usually say this joking but you are so so pretty. And you take care of me so well..."

Baekhyun lifted his head, but didn't put any space between him and Minseok. Instead, he leaned forward, resting their foreheads together.

"What are you doing, Baekhyun?"

"I don't know either." Their voices were whispers so soft that if the distance between them was any bigger they'd have trouble understanding each other.

"Aren't you going to regret this tomorrow?"

"Maybe. There is only one way to find out."

They spent a long time like this, just looking at each other. Wondering if they were really going to do this. Imagining what the other would taste like. Finally, Minseok leaned in, catching Baek's bottom lip between his. The kiss was soft and chaste, being deepened by Baekhyun right after.

 Soon they were both panting, hands everywhere, a picture of a mess. Their clothes were still on, though Baek's shirt had been lifted enough that Minseok could deposit tiny love bites through his chest. Minseok's neck wasn't in a much better situation, all red and wet.

The reason for stopping (besides the human need for oxygen) was that Baekhyun was barely able to keep his eyes open, combining a long day's work, a considerable amount of alcohol and the fact that it was approaching 3 am now. So the younger boy rested his head on Minseok's lap, falling into a fast sleep right away. The older one didn't give it much thought, leaning on the wall and joining Baekhyun in dreamland.

 

***

 

He woke up to a small hand shaking his shoulders and a familiar voice saying "Hyung, wake up!". Opening his eyes, Minseok found an extremely bright world and a smiling Kim Jongdae. He did not know which one was shining more.

"Jongdae? What's up? Why am I... sitting alone in the balcony?" His head felt like it was stuffed with cotton and had been hit by a brick at the same time. And he was sure his breath was stinking more than rotten fish. Exactly how you want to appear in front of your most recent crush.

"Do you remember anything about last night, to begin with? Perhaps how _those_ happened?" Jongdae handed him a pocket mirror now, allowing Minseok to take a look at the damage in his neck. It was filled with pink, round spots, the consequence of sucking in sensitive skin. His makeup artist would have a lot of extra work to do on the next days of promotion.

"...Gosh."

"That's all you have to say?" The younger boy laughed, putting the mirror back in his pocket, "Well, at least that's more than what I've gotten from Baekhyun. That one gave me a look that screamed 'don't ask' and locked himself in his room after getting a bottle of water from the refrigerator. Actually, that's how we realized you should be out here. We figured you had just left early to get some coffee. Hangover is not a state you're usually found in."

Something- Someone's existence just entered Minseok's mind again.

" Baekhyun."

"That's a really elaborate way of putting it."

"Fuck." Minseok buried his head into his arms, trying to shut out the world for a second. He had fucked up big time. Or had he? The truth was the details of last night weren't perfectly clear, and he would need to have a long talk with Baekhyun. "I guess I really need to talk to him."

"He's in his room. He doesn't answer anyone, but I have a felling he'll let you in."

 

***

 

"Hey, it's me." Minseok spoke softly, knocking on the door of Baekhyun's bedroom. These days, he shared it with Chanyeol, who seemed to have slept over at Kyungsoo's room. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah. Close the door behind you."

Minseok entered the room, finding a very hung over Baekhyun lying on his bed, with his arm on top of his eyes. The only light in the room came through the curtain, creating a pleasant atmosphere.

"Hey." Baekhyun spoke, without moving an inch, "Rumor has it I've drunk the whole stock of soju in the house. If you're wondering how that's like, let me enlighten you: it feels like shit."

"I figured." Minseok chuckled, happy that the younger boy, however moody, was still making jokes. "It actually wasn't that much. Kyungsoo and Chanyeol definitely outdrank any of us last night."

"It'd sure be nice to REMEMBER, wouldn't it?"

"Hah." Adopting a more serious tone, Minseok asked the question that was on his mind since he'd looked at his neck on the mirror."So... How much do you remember about last night?"

Hearing that, Baekhyun sat on the bed. The look in his eyes already answered Minseok's question clearly.

"I think I remember enough, hyung." His red hair was ruffled, falling messily on top of his forehead. He looked adorable, and it contrasted greatly with the earnestness of his words. "And even if I didn't, the marks on my chest would've answered for me."

Minseok unconsciously brought his hand to his neck, where pink marks of his own were displayed.

"Well, what are we going to do now?" He felt uneasy, unsure of what he'd like to hear. "I mean, if you want to pretend it didn't happen, I'm okay with it."

"I don't really know." Baekhyun messed his hair even more, running his hands through the red-colored strands. The splitting headache wasn't much help to the confusion going on his mind. "Do you?"

"Actually, I haven't really thought about it." Minseok answered honestly, a faint blush covering his cheeks, "I haven't really thought about, you know, this happening until yesterday."

"Wow." Baekhyun gave him a sad smile, "Didn't think I still had enough pride to be hurt from that remark."

"What?" It was Minseok's turn to be confused by the younger's speech. That didn't really make much sense, since he'd never expressed any kind of affection beyond friendship in all the time they'd known each other.

"I'll be completely frank with you, hyung. We've been friends for a long time, and I have been mostly fine with that. But it's been a while since I started to think about you a little differently. A little more. And I haven't said anything, because I know I wouldn't be successful."

Minseok was bewildered at the revelation. He really didn't expect it, since Baek had been treating him the same as always. He should've known, however, how well he was able to hide his feelings when he wanted to. They've had a lot of conflict in the debut days, before the members had learned to deal with Baekhyun's temper.

"But... How did you know? I like you a lot, and there's no reason for me not to think about it, even if it's something I haven't done before. It's not like you had no chance."

Baekhyun shot him a look that screamed 'liar'.

"Minseok, answer me honestly. Do you like Jongdae?"

He blushed at the question. Maybe he hadn't been as careful as he'd thought, after all. Or maybe Baekhyun was better at reading him than he'd imagined.

"Of course I like him, we're friends."

"Please." Baekhyun's voice was bitter, and very different from his usual self. It was the voice he spoke in when he couldn't reach a note in a song, or when he read hate comments online. "I see the way you look at him. I know I wasn't the one you wanted. But I'm so desperate and infatuated and pathetic that I'm willing to be the second option, as long as you let me."

"Ok, look. I do have a crush on Jongdae, but that's not going anywhere, and-"

"You don't know that."

"What?"

"You don't know that." Baekhyun seemed honest, like he'd actually given a lot of thought to the situation. "It's not like his relationship is going to last forever. You could have a chance."

"No, I could not." Minseok was very emphatic in his answer. He had decided not to interfere with Jongdae's relationship long ago. "You know as well as I do that they are perfect to each other. Those two are going to get married, when that's legal around here. Maybe move so that can happen sooner rather than later."

"You say that, but you could be perfect for each other. You're talking as if they've been married for years."

"Well, they act like it. And you're the one missing the point here. Don't you understand? We could be perfect for each other. Everything is trial and error, and we won't know if we don't give it a shot. You're being so pessimistic that you can't see the bigger picture."

At that, Baekhyun stopped. He stayed quiet for some minutes, trying to organize his thoughts. As if he'd seen so many situations in his head, but this was never a possible ending.

"Are you saying you want to give it a shot? To it- to us?"

"Well, you know, I've always been a cat person... but I think I'm beginning to like dogs. Puppies, more specifically. And being annoyed by you isn't so bad. You're a really cute piece of shit."

Baekhyun's smile was wider than the sky. It was also more beautiful.

"You understand that it's not a matter of second or first option, right?" Minseok wanted to make it very clear, since that point had hurt the younger boy so much before. "It's just a different choice. Something that feels right. Building something new, instead of breaking apart what's already whole."

"Yeah, I get it. Now come over here so I can kiss that pretty face of yours. And maybe some other things."

The members didn't see them until dinnertime.

 

***

 

A few months later, they were an established couple among the group. Baekhyun's million volt smile when they ate dinner that day was pretty obvious to most of them, but even the most oblivious members ("YOU'RE A COUPLE NOW? OH MY GOD" yelled by a very flustered Chanyeol who had walked in while they were making out a week later) eventually found out, and it became simply part of the routine.

They were on their way to a schedule when a question popped on Minseok's mind.

"Hey, Baek?" He caressed the back of his hand to get the boy's attention, on an unconscious action.  "I'm curious. If you didn't think I'd be with you, how come you kissed me the day of our first win?"

Baekhyun's smile was a hint that the answer would be wicked.

"Well, you just looked too delicious for me not to."

 

 


End file.
